Chapter 13

Around the arena, many eyes were focused on the two young figures standing in opposition on the stage, their eyes filled with anticipation. These were the two strongest individuals in the current Earth Rank of the Northern Spirit Academy.

"That Mu Chen has finally agreed to step onto the stage. I wonder if he is a match for Liu Yang."

In a corner of the Western Academy seats, the young men from the Western Academy's Heaven Rank looked at the two figures in the arena and couldn't help but smile. Even they were quite curious about Mu Chen. After all, no matter what, he was the only one in the Northern Spirit Region who had qualified to enter the Spirit Path.

If it weren't for that inexplicable expulsion from the Spirit Path, Mu Chen would probably be at a level beyond their reach now. Even a genius like Liu Mu Bai might be a notch below him.

Thinking of this, they secretly glanced at Liu Mu Bai in front of them but didn't dare to say it out loud.

Hearing their words, the handsome young man only smiled faintly, his eyes fixed on the slender youth in the arena, with a hint of coldness in his gaze.

"The selection for the Spirit Path has some randomness, so sometimes it can go wrong. Perhaps this time, the spot should have been Liu's, but it was mistakenly given to Mu Chen. Otherwise, how could he have been kicked out?" A young man who was clearly very close to Liu Mu Bai sneered.

The other students from the Western Academy's Heaven Rank nodded with a smile, though they didn't really agree with this. However, offending Liu Mu Bai, who was now at the peak of the Northern Spirit Academy, over a Mu Chen who had been expelled from the Spirit Path would be an unwise move.

"Who do you think has a better chance of winning, Hong Ling?" Liu Mu Bai smiled and looked at the girl in red beside him, her narrow, beautiful eyes exuding a hint of charm.

Hong Ling gazed at the arena, her eyes lingering on Mu Chen. The young man's tall, straight figure seemed to have shed the laziness of the past, replaced by a growing sharpness.

The little boy from back then had indeed changed a lot.

"They are both at the initial stage of the Spirit Movement Realm. Liu Yang has cultivated the Flame Sun Technique from your Liu Domain, which is a low-grade Spirit Technique. But Mu Chen's father is also the lord of a domain, so the Spirit Technique he gave him is likely not ordinary. They are even in this regard..."

Hong Ling's eyes flickered, her lazy appearance making her even more captivating: "However, Liu Yang has a Human-grade Spirit Vein. If he uses it, he can match the strength of the middle stage of the Spirit Movement Realm. Mu Chen would be at a significant disadvantage."

Liu Mu Bai smiled, his eyes fixed on Mu Chen in the arena. "Liu Yang is capable. If Mu Chen loses to him, it won't be unjust. I'm also quite curious about how he managed to qualify for the Spirit Path."

Hong Ling glanced at him, realizing that Liu Mu Bai was somewhat troubled by Mu Chen's qualification for the Spirit Path. Proud as he was, he always believed he was the most outstanding among the young generation in the Northern Spirit Region. The qualification for the Spirit Path should have been his, but the final result was unexpected.

"If he can't even get past Liu Yang, then the selection for the Spirit Path is indeed disappointing."

Liu Mu Bai said softly, his hand slowly clenching, leaving a deep imprint on the iron railing. A coldness flowed through his eyes.

He couldn't tolerate a weakling taking a spot that should have been his.

...

"Brother Mu, go for it!"

"Brother Mu, win back the top spot for our Eastern Academy!"

Around the arena, the students from the Eastern Academy looked at the two figures on the stage, their eyes filled with excitement. In the past couple of years, the Eastern Academy had been suppressed by the Western Academy in every aspect, both in the Heaven Rank and the Earth Rank. Now, they finally had someone who could stand up to the Western Academy.

"A bunch of dreamers."

Liu Yang heard the voices and a cruel smile appeared on his lips. He stared at Mu Chen and said mockingly, "I wonder how their faces will look when you lose."

Faced with his mockery, Mu Chen didn't get angry. He simply smiled and said, "You don't have that ability."

"Overestimating yourself!"

Liu Yang's eyes flashed with anger, his hands clenched tightly. Red spiritual energy enveloped his arms like flames. In the next moment, he took a step forward, a faint thud sounding under his feet, and his body shot out like a cheetah.

Boom!

The fist wrapped in red spiritual energy approached Mu Chen in an instant, the spiritual energy compressing the air, making a creaking sound.

Mu Chen's body tilted to the side. As Liu Yang's fist passed by, Mu Chen's right hand slashed out, black spiritual energy wrapping around his fingertips like a sharp blade, mercilessly chopping at Liu Yang's wrist.

Mu Chen didn't hold back, but Liu Yang, who was the top of the Western Academy's Earth Rank, also had his skills. He immediately changed his fist to a palm, and with a reverse hand, he met Mu Chen's attack with a heavy chop.

Pang!

A low sound echoed as the two spiritual energies collided, and both took a half step back.

"Do you want to compete in who has more powerful spiritual energy?!"

Liu Yang sneered, stomping his foot. Red spiritual energy enveloped his legs, its strength clearly surpassing that of Tan Qing Shan.

"Swish!"

With spiritual energy infused in his legs, Liu Yang's speed increased instantly. His figure darted out, making it hard to see him clearly. He used this speed to launch an extremely fierce attack.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Liu Yang's blurred figure, like a whirlwind of flames, surrounded Mu Chen. Fists, kicks, and elbows, each attack was fierce, filled with violent spiritual energy, overwhelming Mu Chen.

The students outside the arena were stunned by Liu Yang's sudden fierce attack. Tan Qing Shan, who had been defeated by Liu Yang, also looked serious. Liu Yang's spiritual energy was almost at the middle stage of the Spirit Movement Realm, and the spiritual technique he cultivated was not ordinary. His combat power was quite surprising.

The excitement on Su Ling's face and the others' diminished, a hint of worry appearing in their eyes. They now realized that Liu Yang was a formidable opponent.

"Don't worry, Mu Chen won't lose so easily."

Tang Qian'er watched the arena with her beautiful eyes and smiled after a while. She was at the middle stage of the Spirit Movement Realm and could clearly see Liu Yang's speed. Although his attacks were like a storm, there was a solid figure standing firm in the storm, unmoved.

Many eyes were fixed on the figure in the flame whirlwind, either dodging or blocking, managing to withstand Liu Yang's fierce attacks without missing a single one, as if he could see through all of Liu Yang's hidden moves.

"Truly a remarkable young man who has undergone the trials of the Spirit Path..." The headmaster Xiao watched the scene, a hint of approval in his cloudy eyes.

"Mu Chen has sharp eyes and remains calm in battle. His character is not inferior to those who have been through countless battles." Master Mo nodded, his words filled with admiration. Spiritual energy could be cultivated, but the character of a strong person was not easily forged.

"His eyesight is indeed good, knowing how to choose the weakest points in Liu Yang's attacks, using skill to overcome strength. However, there is also a saying that brute force can overcome ten techniques. His constant dodging shows that his spiritual energy is not as strong as Liu Yang's. If Liu Yang gathers his strength for one strike, Mu Chen will be in trouble." A thin, middle-aged man called Master Xi said. As a mentor, they not only had formidable strength but also sharp eyes.

Headmaster Xiao and Master Mo nodded in agreement. That was indeed the case, but... was Mu Chen really just avoiding the sharp edge?

In the flame whirlwind, a muffled sound suddenly came. Mu Chen suddenly moved, his sharp fingers like a sharp dagger, black spiritual energy wrapping around them, piercing through the whirlwind and striking the swift figure with lightning speed.

Pang!

A muffled sound echoed, and the flame whirlwind suddenly stopped. A figure staggered back several steps, the fabric on his shoulder torn, clearly damaged by Mu Chen's sharp finger strike.

The students around the arena were stunned, both from the Eastern and Western Academies, their faces filled with surprise. They hadn't expected Liu Yang, who had been attacking fiercely, to be suddenly pushed back by Mu Chen.

"You!"

Liu Yang's face darkened, his eyes fixed on Mu Chen. He took a deep breath, and red spiritual energy quickly gathered in his right palm.

The red spiritual energy rose, forming a flame-like ball in Liu Yang's palm. The spiritual energy rapidly condensed, forming a palm-sized fiery sun.

A violent aura slowly spread out.

The noise outside the arena quickly diminished as many students watched in shock. Liu Yang was clearly pushing his spiritual energy to its limit.

Mu Chen watched Liu Yang, who was exerting all his strength, his lips tightening, and his eyes turning cold.

He swirled his palms, activating the Great Pagoda Technique. The black spiritual energy in his body's qi sea began to vibrate, layer by layer, amplifying.

One... five... ten... thirteen...

The black spiritual energy wrapped around Mu Chen's hands, emitting a domineering aura, almost surpassing Liu Yang's violent spiritual energy.

When the spiritual energy reached the thirteenth layer, Mu Chen didn't stop. With his increasing mastery of the Great Pagoda Technique, the amplification limit was not just this!

Mu Chen narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp like a blade.

Boom!

A faint hum sounded from his qi sea, and Mu Chen's body trembled.

Eighteen layers!

The black spiritual energy surged out of Mu Chen's body, the pressure from the powerful spiritual energy instantly overwhelming Liu Yang's.

"Such powerful spiritual energy!"

Headmaster Xiao and the others' eyes showed surprise. This level of spiritual energy was almost at the middle stage of the Spirit Movement Realm. They could sense that the black spiritual energy from Mu Chen's body was filled with a domineering intent, clearly not from an ordinary spiritual technique.

"Mu Chen, you are courting death!"

Feeling his spiritual energy being suppressed, Liu Yang's face showed shock, but he quickly roared in anger. He took a step forward, and red light points appeared on his body, forming a peculiar meridian, like a snake rising into the air.

"Spirit Vein?!"

The students around the arena burst into exclamations, not expecting Liu Yang to be forced to activate his Spirit Vein. This would surely turn the tide in his favor!